| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to arrest powers; amending s. 27.255, |
| 3 | F.S.; authorizing investigators employed by state |
| 4 | attorneys to serve specified writs of bodily attachment; |
| 5 | providing an effective date. |
| 6 |
|
| 7 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 8 |
|
| 9 | Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 27.255, Florida |
| 10 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 11 | 27.255 Investigators; authority to arrest, qualifications, |
| 12 | rights, immunities, bond, and oath.-- |
| 13 | (1) Each investigator employed on a full-time basis by a |
| 14 | state attorney and each special investigator appointed by the |
| 15 | state attorney pursuant to the provisions of s. 27.251 is hereby |
| 16 | declared to be a law enforcement officer of the state and a |
| 17 | conservator of the peace, under the direction and control of the |
| 18 | state attorney who employs him or her, with full powers of |
| 19 | arrest, in accordance with the laws of this state. Such |
| 20 | investigator may arrest any person for violation of state law or |
| 21 | applicable county or city ordinances when such violation occurs |
| 22 | within the boundaries of the judicial circuit served by the |
| 23 | state attorney employing the investigator, except that arrests |
| 24 | may be made out of said judicial circuit when hot pursuit |
| 25 | originates within said judicial circuit. Such investigator |
| 26 | shall, within the boundaries of the judicial circuit served by |
| 27 | such state attorney, have full authority to serve any arrest |
| 28 | warrant, search warrant, capias, writ of bodily attachment |
| 29 | issued pursuant to s. 61.11, or court order issued by any court |
| 30 | or judge within such judicial circuit in a criminal case, or in |
| 31 | connection with a criminal investigation, when the same is |
| 32 | directed to him or her. The investigator may serve, anywhere |
| 33 | within the state, a witness subpoena issued by any court or |
| 34 | judge within the state or issued in connection with a criminal |
| 35 | investigation that arises anywhere within the state, provided |
| 36 | that prior notice is given to the sheriff in whose county |
| 37 | service will be attempted; however, failure to provide this |
| 38 | notice to the sheriff does not affect the validity of the |
| 39 | service. The investigator may carry weapons on or about his or |
| 40 | her person in the same manner as other law enforcement officers. |
| 41 | Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |